THE YELLOW CHECKED COAT By E.C. Murray

  Aspiring filmmaker Rhys Olson spots his missing mom from his Seattle bus. But, no, it can’t be true. She mysteriously vanished fifteen years ago. This begins Rhys’ feverish search in The YELLOW CHECKED COAT, a 76,500 word upmarket novel. Since his mother appeared shabby and disheveled, Rhys and Meaghan, a supportive older acquaintance, inquire at a women’s homeless shelter. There, they encounter Meaghan’s ex-, Scott Crowley. Meaghan despises him. He still loves her. Crowley, once destitute, is now a philanthropist who assists homeless individuals. When he offers to help Rhys, Meaghan is incensed. Crowley deceived her years ago when she was most vulnerable. Meanwhile, Rhys confides he has a daughter in L.A. with a rare blood type who needs a kidney transplant. He desperately hopes his mother can donate her kidney. Feeling frantic after futilely visiting the police, hiring a detective, scouring the internet, and questioning his old neighbors, Rhys accepts Crowley’s help. When Meaghan, too, reluctantly joins Crowley searching homeless encampments, her love for him slowly rekindles. Then, Rhys receives the offer of a lifetime—his dream job, working on a Ron Howard film set which starts in one week. Now he wonders, is it worth continuing his frantic, probably futile quest, with the clock ticking for both his work and for his child? There are no easy answers, but fate intervenes allowing Rhys to rediscover the mystery of his past and set course for a better and happier future.